The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-31
Tragedy of the Egg Shell.
San Francisco Report.

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 On the eve of Ash Wednesday, the night of February p last, the Mexi- can population of the New Almaden mining district in Santa Clara county gave, as was their custom, a grand ball, the principal feature of which was the "Cascarones" dance. All dur ing the year the Mexican women save the shells of the eggs they use in cook ing. Instead of breaking them in half and throwing them away, like our white housewives, the Mexican wo- men merely break small hole in the end of the egg shell, extract the con- tents and save the shells for the "Cas- carones" dance. On the night of the dance these empty shells are filled with various colored tissue paper, cut as fine as is practicable. Thus are they utilized for ornament, sometimes being worn on the dresses of the senoritas. At certain intervals in the dance the women produce beautiful spectacle by scattering the parti-col- ored bits of tissue over the floor and on the heads of the merry dancers. On the night mentioned, when all was as joyful as a hundred dancing maid ems could make it, the hardy miners, Jose Ramirez and Fernando Acero, met upon the ballroom floor and looked jealously at each other.
 Ramirez had a wife and two chill dren. Acero had no wife, but was looking for one. His arduous atten- tion to certain bewitcLing signorita displeased Ramirez, who took him to task for it, and they quietly retired from the scene of gayety and came to partial understanding outside. They returned to the dance presumably friends. Later on in the evening Juan Prado was also victim of the green eyed monster, and also took Acero to task about his constant devotion to the dark-eyed young woman. Acero as politely led him outside and settled the difficulty. He convinced Prado that his attentions and intentions were perfectly honorable, and they, too, re- turned to the dizzy whirl. But Prado and Ramirez were of the Byronic school, and being convinced against their will, were of the same opinion still.
 Each wanted the girl, and the de- sire on the part of the two who were more likely to get her made them des- perate. They united in sorrow and swore vengeance on the favored Acero. When the dance broke up, about six o'clock on the morning of February p, Ramirez and Prado took particu- lar pains to have their acquaintances to understand that they intended to go in certain direction on duck hunt. Instead of going in the direction they said they were going, they went in the opposite direction to waylay Acero on his way to his cabin, which was not far distant from the dance hall on the hill. They all lived in the vicinity, for they were all laborcrs at tho quick silver mines at Almaden. Acero, flushed with his success of the night, came along the path whistling, and never suspecting that his murderers lay passionately in ambush for him. They waited until he passed, and then both fired together at their victim. Ramirez discharged the two loads in his shotgun, and Prado in rapid suc- cession fired three shots at Acero. They saw him fall, and thinking him dead, ran away. By the light of the stars they made their way to San Jose. That afternoon Sheriff Swell gert learned that murder had been committed, and after diligent search Ramirez and Prado in sa- loon on Ell Dorado street, San Jose. They had pawned their shooting irons, which the sheriff recovered. He locked up the desperadoes and charged them with murder.